International Dark Sky Places

The International Dark Sky Places conservation program recognizes and promotes excellent stewardship of the night sky.

The Dark Sky Places Program was started by IDA in 2001 to encourage communities around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting polices and public education. As of late 2014, IDA has certified 42 Dark Sky Places, extending protection of dark skies to 43,100 square kilometers (16,640 square miles) in nine countries on four continents.

The Dark Sky Places program offers five types of designations:

International Dark Sky Communities
Communities are legally organized cities and towns that adopt quality outdoor lighting ordinances and undertake efforts to educate residents about the importance of dark skies.

International Dark Sky Parks
Parks are publicly- or privately-owned spaces protected for natural conservation that implement good outdoor lighting and provide dark sky programs for visitors.

International Dark Sky Reserves
Reserves consist of a dark “core” zone surrounded by a populated periphery where policy controls are enacted to protect the darkness of the core.

Dark Sky Developments of Distinction
Developments of Distinction recognize subdivisions, master planned communities, and unincorporated neighborhoods and townships whose planning actively promotes a more natural night sky but does not qualify them for the International Dark Sky Community designation.

Upon certification, IDA works with certified places to promote their work through media relations, member communications, and social media. A Dark Sky Places designation helps enhance the visibility of designated locations and foster increased tourism and local economic activity.